Shallow plastic molded containers are known. However, molded containers with irregular sidewalls that either bulge outward or inward are not generally known because it is difficult to extract such a container in an axial direction from a mold because of the engagement of the irregular sidewall against portions of the mold that correspond to the top or bottom of the container body.
Further, while plastic hot-fill containers and plastic retort containers are known, plastic hot-fill containers and plastic retort containers are configured to be deformable or to include expansion members to accommodate volumetric changes of the contents during the cooling of a hot-fill container or during the heating of a retort container. As a result, rigid containers for hot-fill and retort applications are not generally available.
Still further, consumer demand requires that new product designs and shapes be constantly developed. This consumer demand also applies to containers such as molded plastic containers. Further, manufacturers are constantly trying to distinguish their products from their competition by creating unique and different packaging, including uniquely designed containers. As a result, there is a need for a moldable plastic container with irregular sidewalls that will present an aesthetically appealing and unique configuration in contrast to prior art molded plastic containers. Containers presenting different and new configurations would be useful to distinguish the products sold in such containers from competing products. Finally, there is a need for molded containers having unique designs that are both rigid and suitable for hot-fill and retort processing.